Sound-reproducing machine.



L. T. HAILE.

SOUND REPRODUGIN G MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.4,1907.

919 856 I Patented Apr. 27,1909.

IN YE N TOR A TTORNEY.

v Bei knownth thLU H-ERT. 'HAILE, a.

' citizen of the United States, residing'in the city of Philadelphia, State'of Pennsylvania, have inventedcertain new and useful I-mprovements in.Sound-ReproducingMachines, of which the following is .afull, elear, and ex act description, reference being had to the accomparilyin'g' drawings, forming a part of this speci cation My invention relatesfto'sound-re roducing machines, of theoclass of gramop onesso-' .called, wherein a grooved disk a record rotated in a horizontal. plane .and over such record is operatively supported on the end of a pivotally-mounted' sound-conveying arm, a reproducer com rising a sound-box and its stylus, the diap ragm of thereproducer being vibratedby a radially traversing contact of the stylus with the sound-grooves of the record. In all such devices as far as I am aware, the disk is and must be. supported for rotation in a horizontal plane, the means for propelling the sound-box} over .therecord be mg varied in the several types comprising the method described in Berlmers U. S. Patent No. 534,543 whereinthe propulsiveefiect of the grooved surface. of t erotating disk is solely relied'upon, while in another ty e a screw-feed orotherplepitively-actingfee de= vice is employed, W e in still another type means independent of theirecord'land its actu'ating shaft are employed i to impart a swinging movementto the .pivotally-mounted-arm itself which carries. the. 'reproduoer and its stylus. .My method and meansfihereinafter described for causin'g the reproducer to be 0 eratively carried over the disk-record is ra icallydifferent inprinciple from any of the three ty es of mechanismabove referred to,

and is distinguished ;l y.a novel mode of operation, namely, that thefoperative move ment of the reproducer, is efl'ectedfby its own momentum after a moving impulse is first initiated and then continued by thef rotationof, the disk, the spiral groove in the disk op-- 'erating to impart only a restraining effect on such movement in contradistinction to its usual propulsive effect.

In addition to the general and primary object stated, the purpose of my invention is to effect that object notwithstandingthat the convolutions of the sound-groove may not happen to be of uniform depth or of uniform distance apart, also of insuring the full op- Specification of Letters Patent. 'Apl 'e'a t ionfefled December 4, 1907. Serial nogmaaaa e p t nte April 27, ieoe.

elfa'tive -tracking,- of the stylus in the soundgroove p'articularly against the inner and sensitive wall'thereof, the stylus being re-' strained thereby against too rapid gravital pro ulsion as before stated. v

0 these ends my invention consists 'of the combination in a talking mach ne comprising a spirally-grooved disk-record and a supp0rt-- ing turn table therefor, a sound-conveying arm pivotally mounted in a plane above the record, -'a reproducer carried on' the free end of said arm, with. its stylus contacting by oi gravity with the grooves of the recorr means dependent solely on the rotative effect of the record to impart an initial impulse movement to the re roducer and then permit it to continuesuc movement, by its own momentum, save as restrained by its stylus tracking in the record groove and bearing at all'times against the inner Wall thereof, said.

means consisting of axially actuating devices operating primarily'to rotate the record and SGCOIlditIll to support it operatively in a horizonta y-inclined plane during such rota- Ltion, said actuating and sup orting devices being pivotally' mounted on t e head of a rotatable main shaft the axis of which is perpendicular; and my invention v further comprises means coactingtherewith, but inde pendent" thereof, 0 eratingto adjustably regulate the degree ofinclination of the recordholder or turn-table.

I Inthe accompanying drawings illustrating.

my invention, igure l is-a side elevation, jwith' the l'owerpart of the casing or motor box'broken away, and Fi 2 is a plan view thereof, Fig. 3 is a side e evation, partlyin section, of the to 'ofthe motor casin ,the record and'rec-or -holde-r, and the device to adjust the degree of inclination of th-elatter;

Fig.4is a; side elevation, partly in section, of the record {record-holder, the divided actuating shaft, and the top of the motor box; and Fig.5 is' a side elevation of a preferred form of universal ioint' between the divided sections-of-the actuating shaft. I

' Referring now tothe annexed drawings in which is, illustrated one form in which my in-.' vention may be exemplified, A indicates the cabinet, whilethe numeral-1 indicates the top wall of the cabinet; 2 the turn table, and 3 the'jgrooved disk record removably supported thereon, the upper. face of which contains the usual sound-groove 8 in spiral form.

The numeral 4 indicates a bracket orother like means onthe cabinet side wall'to pivotally-support, by a hearing such as 5 the swinging sound-conve ing arm 6 on the free end of which is carrie the reproducer 7 with its stylus.

The cabinet contains the usual motor, not shown, for rotating an axial shaft 9 the primary function of which is to rotate the turn table and record, its secondary function be.- ing to su port or aid in supporting the record in a horizontally-inclined plane, the highest point of inclination being t at segment of the outer edge of the record over which 1s the free end of the pivotal arm 6 and its reproducer 7 when in initial osition. The degree of inclination from t e horizontal need be very. 1 slight, that is to say-an incline in which the rotative movement of the disk would, without reference to its grooves, im art an impulse movement to the ivota y-mounted arm and its reproducer. e means by wh1ch this may be effected, as illustrated m the drawings, wherein is shown the axial actuating shaft 9 sectioned near its head end, 1n ot er'words constructed in two parts with connecting actuating means between the parts, such means being of the general nature of a ball and socket joint, whereb theu per and short section may be vertic y inc med relatively to the perpendicular lower end, and at same time be rotated thereby. In said drawings, the upper section of. the shaft is indicated at 9 (see Figs. 4 and 5) and the turn table 2 is fixedly mounted thereon by means of a head 9 on the shaft section, said head havin on its end a head 9 ada ted to pass throug a central aperture 10 in t e disk record 3. by which the latter is removably su orted in place on the turn table.

f he lower end of the upper section 9 of the shaft is formed as a longitudinally-bored hood or connecting cap, to admit freely the upper end of the lower section 9 of the shaft. T e head end of section 9 is rounded to conform to the shape of the rounded concavity 9 inthe interior of the upper section 9 of the shaft; and the bored out hood or ca end is slotted longitudinally on opposite si es as at 12, Fig. 5, to admit a connecting actuating pin 11 passing transversely through the u per end ofthe shaft section 9, see ig. 4. it

A is obvious that this construction Wlll allow the upper section 9* v of the shaft to be slightly inclined from the vertical while being rotated by the shaft section 9. It is e 'ually obvious that any well known form 0 ball and socket joint or universal joint may'be substituted with like results, and also that such form of joints may be substituted as will not only permit the upper shaft section 9 to assume a vertical incline during rotation, but will fixedly hold and support it in such inclined position relatively to the lower shaft section, during rotation. I prefer however to employ means separate from the shafts and their jointed actuating connection, to roduce the required vertical inclination 0 the shaft section 9 and of the horizontal inclination of the turn table fixedly attached to such shaft section. 'Various means to accomplish this may be employed, as is manifest, but one of the best I know of, because of its capability of delicate adjustment, is that shown in Fig. 3, which consists of a pair of rubber-tired wheels 14 mounted in spaced relation and supported, vertically adjustable, beneath a segmental surface of the underside of the turn table, on that side of the cabinet top over which it rides in its highest plane. .These wheels bein in duplicate, are therefore guiding as wel as supporting devices and they aremounted in a racket 15, the underface of which has a pair of ,verticalpins 16 passing freely through apertures in the cablnet'to 1 and through a plate 17 fixed thereon. astened to the to side of the bracket 15 and between the whee s 14, is a lifting plate 21 which affords a bearing for a lifting screw 18 provided with an annular actuating surface 19. The lower end of this sc-rew passin downward through the wheel bracket 15, etween its guiding pins 16, through plate 17 and through the top wall of the ca inet, whereby the height of the wheel bracket, relatively to the turn table may be adjusted; and a locking nut 20 is rovided to set it when so adjusted.

aving thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a talking machine the combination with a disk sound-record, a holder therefor, a movable tubular arm, reproducing mechanism carried on the free end thereof with its stylus resting by gravity on the surface of the record, of means dependent upon. the rotative movement of the record but independent of the grooves thereof, operating to automatically impart an impulse movement to the reproducer over the record in reproducing direction and cause its stylus to track 'in the sound-grooves thereof, said means consisting of an actuating shaft, means to rotate it, and devices between the head of said shaft and the record holder operating to support and rotate said record holder in a horizontally-inclined plane.

2. In a sound-reproducing machine of the type recited, the combination with a disk record having a sound-groove spirally formed thereon a holder therefor, a sound-conveying arm pivotally mounted over and adjacent to said disk, a reproducer carried on the free end of said arm, of actuating devices consisting of a rotatable shaft, means to drive it, and a connecti pivotal support between the head of said s raft and the record holder, operating to support and rotate the disk record in a horizontally-inclined plane and impart a gravity momentum to the reproducer-carrying arm about its pivotal axis to carry the stylus radially across the record in reproducing d1rect1on,-and in operative engagement with the soundgroove thereof,

said mechanism being so Constructed and arranged that the reproducer will 'be automaticallyrestralned against excessive movement by contact, successively, with the inner walls of the spiral groove of the record in its radial traverse over the same.

3. In a talking machine, the combination 'with a rotatable disk-record-holder, means means consisting of a longitudinally-divided actuating shaft, a universal joint between the sections thereof, with means to operatively support the turn table on the upper of said shaft sections in a horizontally-inclined plane during its rotation.

4. Ina talking machine a rotatable recordlolder and an axial actuating shaft therefor, a disk record supported on said holder and whose upper surface lies in asingle plane and has a laterally undulating record groove, tl'e combination therewith,- of means between the head of said shaft and the recordholder operating to guidingly support and rotate the latter in a horizontally-inclined plane, a movable tubular sound-conveying arm, with reproducing mechanism carried on the free end thereof and comprising a sl 'lus normally engaging, in initial position, the exterior convolution of the sound-groove of said disk record in its highest plane of ro-,

ration.

5. In a talking machine the combination with an axial actuating shaft, a turn table rotate'l thereby, a disk-record supported on said turn table, with reproducing mechanism including a stylus, resting by gravity thereon, of a universal joint between the headof said shaft and the turn table, with means to cause said shaft .to horizontally incline the turn table on its axis during its'rotation by the shaft, whereby the reproducing mechanism is automatically propelled by its own momentum over the record and its stylus caused to track in and be restrained by the record groove throughout its several convolutions.

6. In a talking machine a turn-table, a disk sound record operatively supported thereon, a pivotal mounted tubular arm carrying a regfoducing diaphragm with its stylus resting y gravity on said record, and a vertically extending axial driving shaft; the combination therewith of connectin actuating devices between the head. of sai shaft and the turn table adapted to operatively su port and rotate the same in a horizonta ly-inclined plane, whereby the reproducing mechanism is operatively propelled by its own momentum radiallyv over the record and is adapted to be restored to potential position by restoringsaid elements to initial position.

7. In a machine, of the class recited a disk record whose operative grooved surface is in a single plane, and a sound-conveying arm,

pivotally mounted, with a sound-reproducer,

carried on the free end thereof over and adjacent to said disk, the combination therewith of mechanism co-acting with said disk in rotative motion and operating to impart an impulse movement to said reproducercarrying arm, in a sidewise direction and in a plane substantially parallel with that of the operative face of said disk, said means con stituting actuating devices to plvotally sup port and rotate said record carrier and disk at an inclination to the horizontal, with means to adjustablv regulate the angle of inclination thereof to ecrease or increase theimpulse movement of the reproducer and maintain it in any desired degreeof operative contact with the-groove of the record.

8. In aninstrument of the class recited, a motor, avertically-extending actuating shaft, a record-carrier, a disk record supported on said carrier, connecting actuating means between the head of said shaft and the record carrier operating to pivotally support and rotate said record-carrier and record in a plane inclined from the horizontal, with devices to adjustably regulate. the planular inclination of'record carrier, a pivotally-mounted soundconveying arm, a reproducer includlng a stylus, carried on the free end of sald arm, and resting by gravity on the record. whereby on the rotation of the inclined record holder the reproducer has imparted to 1t an impulse movement radially over the record, and is restrainingly governed in such move ment by the stylus tracking in the record grooves and bearing against the inner walls thereof.

, In testimony whereof, I have hereunto aflixed my signature this 30th day of November A. D. 1907.

LUTHER r. HAILE. 

